TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMERGENCY PROCUREMENTS; AND TO INCLUDE A STATE OF DISASTER EMERGENCY IN THE DEFINITION OF "CRITICAL EMERGENCY" FOR PURPOSES OF AN EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT.

SB 166 amends Arkansas' emergency procurement law to explicitly include a "state of disaster emergency" within the definition of "critical emergency." This change allows state agencies to bypass standard procurement rules during declared disasters (like floods or tornadoes) to quickly acquire essential supplies. The bill directly affects state agencies responsible for emergency response and procurement. It updates Arkansas Code § 19-11-233(b)(2) to clarify that disasters declared under § 12-75-107 qualify as "critical emergencies" for procurement purposes. The law became effective on February 27, 2025, as Act 207.